John 21:18

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO THEE, WHEN THOU WAST YOUNG - embracing the whole period of life to the verge of old age. THOU GIRDEDST THYSELF, AND WALKEDST WHERE THOU WOULDEST - in other words, 'thou wast thine own master:' BUT WHEN THOU SHALT BE OLD [OR 'ART GROWN OLD' [ geerasees (G1095 )], THOU SHALT STRETCH FORTH THY HANDS - to be bound for execution, though not necessarily meaning on a cross. There is no reason, however, to doubt the very early tradition, that Peter's death was by cruci...

18._Verily, verily, I tell thee. _After having exhorted Peter _to feed his sheep, _Christ likewise arms him to maintain the warfare which was approaching. Thus he demands from him not only faithfulness and diligence, but invincible courage in the midst of dangers, and firmness in bearing the cross. In short, he bids him be prepared for enduring death whenever it shall be necessary. Now, though the condition of all pastors is not alike, still this admonition applies to all in some degree. The Lord spares many, and abstains from shedding their blood, satisfied with this alone, that they devote themselves to him sincerely and unreservedly as long as they live. But as Satan continually makes new and various attacks, all who undertake the office of _feeding _must be prepared for death; as they certainly have to do not only with _sheep, _but also with wolves. So far as relates to Peter, Christ...

15-19 Our Lord addressed Peter by his original name, as if he had forfeited that of Peter through his denying him. He now answered, Thou knowest that I love thee; but without professing to love Jesus more than others. We must not be surprised to have our sincerity called into question, when we ourselves have done that which makes it doubtful. Every remembrance of past sins, even pardoned sins, renews the sorrow of a true penitent. Conscious of integrity, Peter solemnly appealed to Christ, as knowing all things, even the secrets of his heart. It is well when our falls and mistakes make us more humble and watchful. The sincerity of our love to God must be brought to the test; and it behoves us to inquire with earnest, preserving prayer to the heart-searching God, to examine and prove us, whether we are able to stand this test. No one can be qualified to feed the sheep and lambs of Christ,...

Verse John 21:18. _THOU SHALT STRETCH FORTH THY HANDS_] Wetstein observes that it was a custom at Rome to put the necks of those who were to be crucified into a yoke, and to _stretch out their hands_ and fasten them to the end of it; and having thus led them through the city they were carried out to be crucified. See his note on this place. Thus then Peter was girded, chained, and carried _whither he_ _would not _- not that he was unwilling to die for Christ; but he was a _man _- he did not _love death_; but he loved his _life less_ than he loved his _God_....

WHEN THOU WAST YOUNG - When in early life thou didst gird thyself, etc. The Jews, in walking or running, girded their outer garments around them, that they might not be impeded. See the notes at Matthew 5:38. THOU GIRDEDST - The expression here denotes freedom. He did as he pleased - he girded himself or not he went or remained, as he chose. Perhaps the expression refers rather to that time than to the previous period of Peter’s life. “Thou being now young or in the vigor of life, hast just girded thyself and come freely to the shore.” In either case the Saviour intimates that at the end of his life he would not be thus free. WHEN THOU SHALT BE OLD - Ancient writers say that Peter was put to death about thirty-four years after this. His precise age at that time is not known

EXPOSITION JOHN 21:1 3. The epilogue, answering to the prologue. The post-resurrection life corresponds with the pre-incarnate energy of the Logos. 1. Long and sustained controversy has prevailed on the question of the authenticity and apostolic authorship of this chapter even among those who admit the Johannine authorship of the rest of the Gospel. 2. Among those who accept to the full the authenticity, there are many critics who urge that it is not an integral portion of the Gospel, but a later appendix, that the document terminated, on its first composition, with John 20:30, John 20:31, and that the chapter before us is dictated f

VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO THEE,.... A way of speaking often used by Christ, when about to deliver anything of considerable moment, partly to raise the attention, and partly for the more strong asseveration of what is spoken; and may have reference both to what went before, confirming Peter's declaration of his love, which would be demonstrated by dying for him, and the testimony of his omniscience, by foretelling his death, and the kind of it; and to what follows after, which contains an account of Peter in his younger years, and a prophecy of what should befall him in old age: WHEN THOU WAST YOUNG; not that he was old now, and capable he was of doing, and he did do but just now, what our Lord ascribes to his younger years: THOU GIRDEST THYSELF, AND WALKEST WHITHER THOU WOULDST; that is, he could put on his clothes himself, and gird them about him with a girdle, as was the custom of t...

John 21:1. _After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise showed he himself._ Jesus loved to show himself to his people. Of old, his delights were with the sons of men; so, now that he had risen from the dead, he was not ashamed to visit his brethren, and he did not disdain to make himself known to them, and he will still show himself to us after a spiritual fashion, if we sincerely desire to see him. John 21:2. _There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples._ As John was the writer of this record, he did not put his own name there, but merely mentioned «the sons of Zebedee.»...

CHAPTER 21 _ 1. At the Sea of Tiberias. The Third Manifestation. (John 21:1 .)_ 2. Peter's Restoration and Ministry; the manner of His Death Predicted. (John 21:15 .) 3. Tarry Till I Come. (John 21:20 .) 4. Conclusion. (John 21:24 .) This chapter has often been looked upon as an appendix to the Gospel of John. It is not. Quite true, John states in the last two verses of the preceding chapter the purpose of this Gospel, but that does not mean that the twenty-first chapter has no connection with the Gospel itself. John 21:14 shows t

FOLLOWING AND TARRYING. According to the earliest Christian tradition, Marcan and Pauline, an appearance to Peter was one of the earliest if not the earliest event after the Resurrection. If this section is historical it must be interpreted as teaching the leaders, and especially Peter, in terms which clearly recalled his former failure, their duty to the whole body of faithful disciples, scattered by the Crucifixion. They cannot return to their former occupations and wait for the Parousia. The work of the Good Shepherd must be carried on. Lambs must be fed, sheep must be shepherded, and fed also. In early life young men can choose their calling. Later on they must follow it, wherever it leads them, even as the old man, who is getting to need assistance, lifts his hands and has his girdle arranged for him. So Peter must follow. Later Christian thought found in the words a prediction of h...